Airbag modules are part of inflatable restraint systems that are employed in automobiles for protecting an occupant against injury by physically restraining the occupant's body when the automobile encounters a collision. A passenger side airbag module, which is mounted in the dashboard of an automobile, normally includes a reaction canister housing an airbag cushion and an airbag inflator which is mounted between two canister endwalls or endplates of the reaction canister.
The airbag inflator has an elongated cylindrical housing defining gas exhaust ports and containing gas generant that, once triggered by a remote collision sensor, provides the inflation gas for inflating the airbag cushion. A hybrid inflator has gas exhaust ports located at one end while pyrotechnic inflators have thrust-neutral gas exhaust ports distributed substantially along their entire length.
A hybrid airbag inflator is normally secured in the reaction canister with a flange or attachment at one end and fasteners such as a nut and threaded stud, the stud being welded to the other end of the inflator. The inflator flange or attachment and the fastener engage opposite endplates of the reaction canister to secure the inflator therein. The use of fasteners to mount the airbag inflator, however, imposes structural limitations on the inflator and adds additional parts to the airbag module. In addition, the use of fasteners is not conducive to automated assembly, makes the airbag modules difficult to assembly and is a major cause of reworking airbag modules due to the necessity of replacing broken or unsecured fasteners. Furthermore, reworking of the airbag modules is not always possible and the defective airbag module must be discarded, resulting in lost production and increased manufacturing costs.
The canister endwalls, which the airbag inflator is mounted to, may be integral with a deep drawn steel reaction canister or may comprise endplates made of steel and secured to an extruded aluminum reaction canister or fabricated reaction canister. If the canister endplates are separate from and secured to the reaction canister, the airbag inflator is preferably secured to the canister endplates so that it can withstand a substantial tensional load to assist in holding the canister endplates to the reaction canister during inflation of the airbag cushion. As with all components used in automobiles, the airbag inflator should also be mounted in a squeak and rattle-free manner. In addition, the canister should be sealed in a substantially gas-tight manner so that most, and preferably all, of the inflation gas produced by the airbag inflator can be directed into the airbag cushion.
Accordingly, there is a need for quick and easy, snap-in, fastenerless, substantially gas-tight, shake and rattle free airbag inflator mount for mounting an airbag inflator within a reaction canister of an airbag module that is conducive to automated assembly. The airbag inflator mount should also allow a substantial tensional load to be applied to the airbag inflator, whereby the inflator can assist in holding non-unitary canister endplates secured to the reaction canister during inflation of the airbag cushion.